


One Big Happy Family — *Ursa* (Part I)

by HufflepuffChildOfApollo



Series: One Big Happy Family [11]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: And pitted her against her brother, Angst, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Minor Sokka/Suki, Ozai (Avatar) is an Asshole, Ozai SUCKS btw, Past Azula & Zuko friendship, Sibling Bonding, Smoke and Shadow spoilers, Turtleduck(s), Ursa finds out about Zuko's scar, Ursa is trying to be a good parent, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, before Ozai started turning his daughter into a weapon and ruining her life, y'know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:54:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25489561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HufflepuffChildOfApollo/pseuds/HufflepuffChildOfApollo
Summary: So much has changed — not least Zuko himself. But despite all he's changed in appearance, it's not hard to see that below the surface, he's not so different at all.
Relationships: Kiyi & Ursa (Avatar), Kiyi & Zuko (Avatar), Noren/Ursa (Avatar), The Gaang & Zuko (Avatar), Ursa & Zuko (Avatar)
Series: One Big Happy Family [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1799011
Comments: 28
Kudos: 514





	One Big Happy Family — *Ursa* (Part I)

Stepping into the palace feels just the same as it did that very first day. It's still big, and chilly compared to the hot sun outside, and servants still run to and fro about their jobs — though she notices most of them look far less nervous than she remembers. Noren must sense her tension, because he squeezes her hand as they keep walking behind Zuko. 

Kiyi can't seem to stay quiet, asking Zuko questions at a rapid speed; he doesn't seem to mind, supplying answers to her questions quickly and enthusiastically. Ursa smiles despite her discomfort. 

"Wait until you see the gardens," Zuko says, looking down at Kiyi. He looks over his shoulder, and Ursa has to restrain herself from flinching when the scarred side of his face turns toward her. 

"The turtleduck pond is still there," he tells her, smiling. "A new clutch just hatched before I left to find you." 

"I'm glad to hear that." Ursa smiles. "We'll have to see them, won't we, Kiyi?"

Her daughter sends her a wary glare, holding tighter to Zuko's hand. Zuko looks apologetic, and Ursa tries not to let her sadness show. 

"I'm sure you're tired — why don't you go sit down? I'll make some tea," Zuko offers. 

Ursa looks at Noren, smiling when he nods. "Thank you. I would like that. We'll be in the gardens," she tells Zuko. 

"Can I go with Zuzu?" Kiyi asks. She looks at Noren instead of Ursa. 

"Of course, Kiyi." He smiles. "Be good." 

Zuko smiles, picking Kiyi up and setting her on his shoulders. "I'll be out soon, if I can escape the cook. He's still as talkative as ever."

Ursa smiles. "We'll wait."

She leads Noren outside, following a familiar path through the palace. Outside feels better than in the halls. Ozai didn't like to accompany her here, preferring the grandeur of the formal courtyards on the Eastern side of the palace. She sinks onto a bench with Noren. 

_How will I get used to all this change?_

[:]

Ursa waits, and then a few days later, when Noren's gone to put Kiyi to bed and Ursa's alone with Zuko, she asks him. 

About the scar. 

There are a hundred different possibilities she can think of, but nothing prepares her for what he tells her. 

She's always known Ozai was a monster, but she didn't know —

_I shouldn't have left you. If I had been a better mother I would have taken you and Azula with me, no matter how Ozai threatened me, because then he wouldn't have done this to you, and maybe Azula wouldn't be—_

A sob catches in her throat, and tears sting her eyes. She sees the worry in Zuko's face without even looking at him. Taking a deep breath, she wills herself not to cry. 

"Does it hurt?" she asks. 

"No. Unless I get hit with something." He gives her half a smile. "Everyone's gotten pretty good at only hitting me in the back of the head when we spar."

Ursa frowns, and Zuko's expression becomes serious again. 

"I'm fine, though," he says. "I used to think that it was my fault, and that Ozai was right. But I realized that what he did was wrong, and that I shouldn't keep chasing his approval, because...it wasn't worth it." 

Ursa rests her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry you had to learn it that way," she says. "You've grown up to be a wonderful young man, and I've missed it...and you should not have had to go through so much for it to happen." 

Zuko sighs. "I never blamed you. It was never your fault."

 _But it was,_ she thinks. _I should have taken both of you, and run somewhere we would never be found. I should have never tested your father, and made him hate you. I should have run when he proposed. I should—_

"Mom?" Zuko's voice breaks through her thoughts. She looks up, meeting his eyes. "Mom, it wasn't your fault. It wasn't anyone's fault but his." 

She pulls Zuko into a tight hug. He wraps his arms around her, resting his head on her shoulder. 

Noren appears in the doorway. "Darling, are you ready for bed?" he asks, and then pauses, looking at her face wide-eyed. "I'm sorry."

She manages a smile as she pulls away from Zuko, brushing tears from her eyes with a finger. "It's alright, Noren. I'm ready. Goodnight, Zuko."

Zuko smiles a little. "Goodnight, Mom. Noren." He gives a respectful nod of his head before leaving the room. Ursa holds Noren's hand as they walk toward their bedroom. 

Kiyi flinches away in her sleep, curling into Noren's chest. Ursa looks away from Noren's pitying eyes. 

[:]

Ursa stands in the garden, watching Kiyi. Her daughter sits by the pond, watching her big brother feed the turtleducks. 

"Look, Kiyi," Zuko says, tossing a handful of crumbs onto the surface of the water. Kiyi leans on his shoulder, following his hand with her eyes. He points to a fuzzy, pale yellow turtleduckling. "That one's Peach. And that darker one next to him is Sunflower. She was the smallest one when they hatched." 

"What's their mommy's name?" Kiyi asks, tossing her own handful of crumbs. The mother turtleduck swims over, picking at the bread with her beak. 

"That's Tiny," Zuko says with a smile. "I named her when she was a baby. She really was tiny then."

Ursa smiles at the memory; She and Zuko stayed awake all night waiting for the eggs to hatch. Azula, she recalls, rejected joining them in favor of sleeping over at Mai's house. 

"She's really big now. Can I pet her?" Kiyi asks, taking her eyes off the turtleducks for just a second to look at Zuko. 

"See if she'll let you," he answers, holding his hand out. Tiny swims right up to him, letting him stroke the soft feathers on her head. He slowly guides Kiyi's hand to the turtleduck's head. 

"She's so soft!" Kiyi exclaims, grinning ear to ear. Zuko smiles, nodding his head. Ursa moves forward when Kiyi leans out a little too far; but Zuko pulls her back. 

"Careful. That water's cold, you don't want to fall in," he says. 

"Thanks, Zuzu." Kiyi smiles, reaching out more carefully. 

Ursa sighs, wishing Kiyi could show her the same trust she shows Zuko. 

[:]

After Kiyi's abduction, and subsequent rescue, Ursa pays Ozai a visit. She comes back to her room, having faced her fear with unclouded eyes, as Iroh had advised. 

As she climbs into bed, Kiyi looks up at her. And smiles. 

"Mommy...you're back."

Ursa feels tears prick her eyes as she smiles. 

"I'm back." 

[:]

Zuko's friends visit, and stay for several days. One afternoon, Sokka approaches her. 

"Madam Fire," he says, bowing deeply with his hands behind his back. Ursa keeps back a smile at the breach of etiquette — she's not entirely sure it isn't on purpose. 

"Yes, Sokka?"

"You wouldn't happen to know where I can find ribbon?" he asks. A pink flush creeps across his face, and Ursa's curiosity is piqued. 

"Madam Akina's clothing shop on Blaze Street," she answers. "She uses scraps from her sewing to make ribbon."

"Thank you, Your Warmness." He bows again, and Ursa covers her mouth to hide her smile. 

"It's no trouble at all," she assures him. He smiles and runs out. 

The next morning at breakfast, the girl who guards Zuko's room — Suki — walks in at Sokka's side, a dark grey ribbon tied around her neck, a stone hanging from it embellished with a crudely carved fan. 

"Suki and I are engaged!" Sokka announces, to gasps from around the table. Zuko stands and congratulates the couple — as, to Ursa's surprise, does Kiyi. 

"I knew she'd say yes!" she exclaims, hugging Sokka and Suki tightly; her head barely reaches his waist, so she ends up hugging one each of their legs. 

Ursa smiles at Noren, who grins back.

"You remember our engagement?" she asks softly. 

"I couldn't forget."

[:]

Ursa walks with Kiyi and Zuko through the palace gardens. Kiyi and Zuko have made up a game, to see who can name the most flowers and plants. Zuko's firmly in the lead, but Kiyi's doing impressively well. They've named Ursa the official points counter.

"That one's a Blue Dragon fern," Zuko says quickly. 

"I was gonna say that!" Kiyi says, but she's smiling. The next second her attention is captivated by another plant. "Ooh! That one's so fuzzy! It's like a little bunny ear." 

"That might be why it's called Bunny Ears," Zuko says. "It's from the Earth Kingdom. It's normally a pain in the a— uh, neck," he looks apologetically at Ursa before continuing, "to grow here, but grandmother Ilah wanted them, so the gardeners learned to tend them, and taught it to the new ones after them. Now all the palace gardeners know." 

"They're really cute," Kiyi says, rubbing her hand over the fuzzy leaves. 

"They sure are," Zuko agrees. 

-

_"Aren't they cute, Zuko?" Ursa looks down at Zuko, who's inspecting the plant. He looks up at her, six-year-old face significantly downturned in a frown._

_"It's a **plant,** Mom," he says, as if it's a clear answer. _

_Ursa sighs. "That doesn't mean it can't be cute," she points out._

_"Daddy said plants are a waste of time," Azula pipes up, even as she leans over to smell one of the strawberry-roses._

_"They're no such thing," Ursa says. "With the right plant, you can dye clothes, or season food, or make a medicine that can save a life."_

_"You can't eat plants," Azula argues. "Zuzu said so."_

_"I said you can't eat plants you **don't know** ," Zuko corrects. "Some plants can make you sick. And you shouldn't eat grass, ever, because it's gross. And you might throw up, and then the physician will be mad at you and say you're stupid for eating grass." _

_Ursa's gets the uncomfortable feeling he speaks from experience. She makes a mental note to speak with the palace physician about his methods._

_"Anyway, some plants are okay to eat. Like cabbage! Though, cabbage is kind of gross too." Zuko wrinkles his nose, and Azula laughs._

_-_

Ursa blinks, and is back to the present. She sighs, shaking her head. 

"I know what this one is!" Kiyi exclaims excitedly. "It's a strawberry-rose!" 

Zuko nods his head, an odd expression on his face. Ursa wonders if he's remembering that day — if he _can_ remember that day. It was so long ago, and so much has changed since then. She wouldn't be surprised if he's forgotten. 

"Are you tired, Kiyi?" Zuko asks. Kiyi _is_ walking a little slower. She nods, reaching her arms up. Zuko picks her up, sitting her on his shoulders. She holds into him, looking back at Ursa and smiling. 

Ursa smiles back, fighting the sadness that rears up inside her at seeing her children here without Azula. 

_I can't help her right now. Maybe one day._

_For now I just have to hope._


End file.
